#lvl:trigger

January 28th, 2014 ; Day 2

     Laughter rang through the halls as Hakyeon slammed his bruised fists against the stained walls before moving to repeat the actions against different wall. Bare, bloody feet stepping over broken glass from a mirror he broke. His reflection, his face, were hideous. Disgusting. 'With a face like that, how could anyone love him?' He was hideous. A monster. 'Who would love such a thing,' they would say as they passed his room not realizing he could hear them loud and clear. Laughter turned into sobs as he slammed his forehead against the wall, before turning and sliding down it. 

     "I'm not a monster!!" He would say between choked sobs, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes, harshly rubbing at the tears that spilled. He hated this. Hated everything. All of this started, because he had signed up for a job after being ushered to do so by his CEO. After all, it was his first 'big' job offer, so why wouldn't he? Regret flooded his mind as he sobbed in that quiet room. "I'm not a monster...."

     'Yes, you are.' The voice in his head would reply after a few moments of silence, causing him to silence his sobs so he could listen. 'How could someone love you? Look at you. You're ugly. Hideous! Have you seen yourself lately? You're no better than a ticking time bomb--'

     "Shut up, shut up!" Hakyeon stood up quickly, ignoring the dizziness he felt from the sudden action, as he charged at the illusion that looked just like him -- the previous him. Someone with a healthy glow to their skin, a nice body that made fans scream for more and a face that caused fans to go crazy. 

     "I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP."

     He slammed his fists into the wall before repeatedly hitting himself in the head, screaming things incoherently causing the staff to rush in and subdue him before he could hurt himself too much. As the medicine that was injected into his system pulled him to sleep, tired eyes swept over the figure who was smirking at him. He could hear the words, even after he lost control of his body and his vision faded to black.

     'Told you.'

---

[142701,05:36PM] < Text ; Cutie > I bought stuff for dinner! ㅋㅋㅋ it'll be at home for when you come back ~ i'm heading to bed early ~ make sure you eat hm?

[142801,07:51AM] < Text ; Cutie > @.@! ! ! Hyung were you at a late schedule again??? dinner was still on the table when I woke up... I hope you ate ~ ㅋㅋㅋ don't worry about it though ^^ i ate it ~ i'll make more later tonight! !

[142801,09:14PM] < Text ; Cutie > Must be a busy day for both of us ㅋㅋㅋ you out impressing the world with your dance moves hm? ^^ i'm proud! ! i'm going to bed early again since i have to work early tomorrow. don't over work yourself! I love you ㅋㅋㅋ ♡♡♡

[142901,10:14AM] < Text ; Cutie > Hyung??? You haven't replied to my messages... Are you alright....? ^^ ;; please don't over work yourself! I know schedules are busy lately... Make sure you take care of yourself! ! ㅋㅋㅋ eh... hyung fighting..! !

[142901, 12:47PM] < Text ; Cutie > Lunch time hyung. ~ Have you eaten yet? ^^ you didn't come home last night so I couldn't make you anything... ㅠㅠ please don't skip meals because of your idea.. i love you! ♡_♡

[142901, 3:09PM] < Text ; Cutie > I visited hq and they told me you were at schedules but didn't know where... what is this gut feeling.... hyung where are you...? Are you alright....?

[142901, 8:59PM] < Text ; Cutie > Please come home... or text or call.... I miss you...

[142901, 11:13AM] < Text ; Cutie > You're still not home... I'm worried hyung. Come back home soon...? I left dinner on the table.. Please eat when you get back

[143001, 6:34PM] < Text ; Cutie > You didn't come home late night... If you are busy please let me know... I miss you...

[143101, 11:02PM] < Text ; Cutie > Where are you...? It's been four days....

---

January 31st, 2014 ; Day 5

     "Huh," the shadow blinked a few times at the paper that he held in his hand before he looked up at the big 'Welcome' sign to an asylum-like hospital that he was assigned to do a report on. It held an eerie feeling that left L.Joe sick to his stomach and it wasn't a feeling he got often. Only when he knew something was wrong or if he was around other supernatural entities that held a 'higher rank' than himself.-- Both with were rare feelings overall.

     Shrugging it off, he slowly walked up to the entrance, which opened the moment he knocked. He was greeting by a bunch of happy faces that seemed far too out of place compared to the dark environment that hung over this place. He signed in and was told about the rules. L.Joe felt uncomfortable when he was patted down and was searched, but it ended quickly. They requested to take his bad, which made him feel even more uneasy but knew it was for the best. Since he wasn't sure what to expect in a place like this.

     The tour started and L.Joe listened intently, recording a lot of the information to memory despite only half-listening to the instructor. He was too busy staring, albeit not rudely, at what the place had to offer. Every now and then, L.Joe would get a patient in his face about his species but the staff told everyone that it was 'normal' for them to make false accusations, so they played it off as that -- much to his relief. Half way through the tour, they stopped for a lunch break and was given a complete list of all the patients and their... disorders. Which made the truth seem less than it was.

     'These people are straight up mental,' he thought to himself as he scanned the list, 'Why would you cover it up by saying diso-- Eh..?' L.Joe sat up in his seat as his eyes scanned over a familiar set of Hangul written on the list of names. A name that was as rare as any other stood out, like a light in a sea of darkness. 'Cha Hakyeon'. His heart sunk as he looked at the name, magically willing it to change; hoping he was wrong. He rubbed his eyes and tried again, as if he could play it off by using his bad eyesight as an excuse but choked instead. Some of the other guests looked at him with worried expression and he laughed it off, telling them he needed to use the restroom and leaving quickly after.

     As he locked himself in the bathroom, L.Joe flicked off the lights pacing back and forth as he tried to absorb the information he found out. Fingers curled tightly into his hair as he pulled at, trying to calm himself down. He stopped abruptly, slapping a hand over his mouth before falling to his knees. Everything fell into place. 'If Hakyeon came to this-- this place,' his eyes began to water as he clutched at his hair again. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes, 'Then that would explain why he never returned my messages.-- B-but.... Why?! Why is he here?! What the fuck is going on?!'

---

     "He's calm now, sir." One of the nurses commented as she handed Hakyeon's 'doctor' a clip-board with his information on it. 

     "Good, good... Anything new or different about him?" The doctor looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He sighed when she shook her head. "So he's a failure then. We'll wait a few days before discarding him with the rest of the failures."

     "Yes sir."

---

     After an hour of collecting himself and planning on a way to get to Hakyeon, L.Joe sank through the floor after hearing people approaching outside the door of the bathroom. He 'teleported' to the main desk, looking around from a dark corner, before stepping out when the coast was clear. Moving to the computer, he typed in Hakyeon's name and pulled up all of his information. The back of L.Joe's throat burned when he saw entire list of experiments and medication giving to the idol since he 'checked in'. He felt like throwing up but had to find a map and Hakyeon's location first.

     A few clicks and a few taps later, L.Joe knew both the locaton and the room numbers. '630,' he clicked his tongue in annoyance at the familiar number. June 30th. Hakyeon's birthday. A day that was supposed to be a good day. He sighed heavily before receding back into the shadows when he heard voices approaching.

---

      Like a bored kid or a lifeless doll, Hakyeon stared up at the ceiling, laying on a bed that left his body stiff and sore. He missed it.  Missing moving his limbs like they were water; dancing without restraint. Feeling the flexibility, agility and grace in his movements as he literally danced to his dreams.

     Now he just laid there. Too tired to lift his own arm or even blink his eyes. The medicine they gave him made him feel like a monster, the voice inside his head and the figure that was taunting him from the corner slowly ate away at his mind. 'Is this how L.Joe felt...? Dealing with the shadows like this for years...?' Tears formed at the corners of his eyes as he thought about the bubbly shorter male

     'Ah, ah,' the figure tsked as he approached the other before sitting on the bed. His hand reached up to caress Hakyeon's cheeks, thumbs wiping at the tears that fell as he spoke in a soothing voice. 'Now, now, Hakyeonnie.~ What's wrong?' Hakyeon shook his head, not trusting his voice enough to speak. 'There, there, baby.~ It'll be alright. I'm here.' The figured grinned as Hakyeon closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. After days of struggling, the hallucination finally won.

     If Hakyeon was to see the person he loved more than anything, die in front of his eyes he wasn't sure if he would react at this point. Hakyeon replayed the words that the other had said to him since he was trapped in this cell.

---

January 27th, 2014 ; Day 1

     'If he loved you, he would've known the moment you disappeared.'

     Hakyeon simply ignored the other's words since he knew that L.Joe would come for hm and help him out of this place. Not to mention that he didn't even know who or what they word. Only that he started to see him after the doctors injected him with a strange liquid.

January 28th, 2014 ; Day 2

     'Another day and he's still not here.' 

     "SHUT UP!" He would yell, taking his anger out on the mirror that shattered beneath his fist. "Shut up! You don't know anything!!"

January 29th, 2014 ; Day 3

     'I bet he's already moved on. Knowing him, he's probably too busy hanging out with normal people. Probably doesn't miss you--'

     Hakyeon covered ears, as he sat in the corner. His knees were as close to his chest as they could get as he rested his forehead on them. "Stop--"

January 30th, 2014 ; Day 4

     Laying on the bed, Hakyeon stared holes into the wall. He flinched when he felt fingers thread through his hair, automatically tearing up as he remembered the person he loved.

     'There, there...' The hallucination cooed as he comforted the idol, 'Unlike him, I'll always be here for you...'

January 31th, 2014 ; Day 5

     Hakyeon sighed as he sat up on the bed, cringing as his bones popped due to their lack of proper care. He stood up and walked over to the broken mirror, not even realizing that he was stepping on glass. His feet were already used to the pain and some of the stuff that the doctors gave him, made it hard for him to feel. He looked at the mirror, pulling one of the broken shards from it's place, just as he heard the door open. Turning to look at who it was, he was met with a familiar face.

     L.Joe looked relieved when he saw Hakyeon but that expression was quickly replaced when he took in the other's condition. He opened his mouth and stepped forward but was quickly cut off by the older's cold tone.

     "Get out...."

     "Eh..?" 

     "I SAID GET OUT!" Hakyeon threw the shard of glass in L.Joe's direction, causing the younger to flinch as he gasped in surprised. "You don't belong here. Get out before I make you."

     L.Joe took one look at Hakyeon's face and new for a fact that he was serious. He took a step back, confusion and worry were obvious on his features. L.Joe opened his mouth as if to speak but no words came out, as he stared at Hakyeon with a dumb expression.

     'Look at him,' the voice began quietly, only being able to be heard by Hakyeon. 'Look at how he looks at you. He thinks you're a monster. Look at how afraid he is! He can't even gather the courage to speak... It's so obvious. Tell him to leave, Hakyeonnie, tell him to leave. You don't need him-- You never did. He was just using you...'

     Hakyeon's eyes widened as he looked at L.Joe, hurt evident in his eyes. "Is it true...?"

     "W-what...? Hyu--"

     "I said is it true?!" Hakyeon raised his voice, causing L.Joe to take another step backwards. "You were just using me?!"

     Hurt flashed on L.Joe's features, causing Hakyeon to scoff. "Oh please. Don't look so hurt." 'That's it, you can do this. Tell him off, Hakyeonnie, tell him off!' "I should have known. Of course! How could I be so fucking dumb?!" L.Joe took another step back as Hakyeon took a step forward. "After we warned you about Hyuna, you needed someone new to scout, hm?-- Maybe it was Hyuna we should've warned. Maybe she was the innocent one. Maybe you were using her, like you used me!"

     He backed the younger against the door, grinning maliciously at him. Leaning down to whisper in his ear, Hakyeon cupped his hands around L.Joe's neck. "This ends now." 'Do it!' Hakyeon moved his thumbs over L.Joe's adam's apple, applying as much pressure as he could in his weakened state as he pressed the younger into the door. L.Joe struggled in his grip after realization finally settled in. He clawed at Hakyeon's wrists and arms, trying to kick him away but it was all in vain as he vision began to blur.

It took only a few more steps before he collapsed onto his knees harshly. Just short of his dark refuge. He could feel the gravel digging into his skin, adding to the wounds already there, as he crawled over to the shadows desperately. His left hand still adding pressure to his neck. His whole body fought to heal itself but with the sun beating down on him L.Joe knew he wouldn’t be able to survive if he didn’t get to the shade as soon as possible. 

After what felt like days of dragging himself across concrete, L.Joe finally felt the cool, welcoming touch of the darkness’s protection. Since he didn’t want to be stuck near the mouth of the alleyway, L.Joe continued to crawl until he knew he was at a safe distance. Even after the time passed. When he finally got to a good spot, he collapse to the ground completely. Left hand falling to his side as he laid on his back, glancing up at the blue skies that seemed to mock him. The little amount of blood pooled into a small puddle, no bigger than a dinner plate.

Exhaling slowly, like it was his last breath. And it was.

But it was not the end of his life. 

With his last human breath, L.Joe’s skin faded to an ugly black. The blond of his hair continued to show, as did his clothes but his skin was as dark as the shadows that surrounded him. Dead, he was not. As he laid there recovering slowly. Unconscious. It was too soon to tell how long it would take him to recover. He just hoped that he would be safe until he was able to return to being normal.

He was clueless, though. Clueless to the other shadows protecting his body. Making sure no hunter, or person, could see him. Even if the hunters managed to get into the alleyway, they wouldn’t be able to locate the male as he remained unconscious due to both the pain and the exhaustion he felt. 

A few hours had past and the blond was still recovering as he remained in a deep sleep. A few more hours and a familiar presence ran up to him, pulling his body against her own as she took in the scene. Hyuna. She had been there when he was originally attacked but he manage to lead the hunters away from her. Which only resulted in the scene before them.